Circuit controller



Aug. 30, 1932. E. R. CARICHOFF CIRCUIT CONTROLLER I Original Filed Dec. 3! 1927 Fig. 2'.

Inventori Eugene RCQT'ichof-F, b

His Attorney application, Serial No. 313,118, filed Patented Aug. 30, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EUGENE R. CARICHOFF, OF SCHENECTADY, YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELEC- TRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK CIRCUIT CONTROLLER Original applications filed December 3, 1927, Serial No. 237,075, Patent No. 1,758,782, dated May 13,1930, and October 17, 1928, Serial No. 313,118, Patent No. 1,833,736, dated November 24, 1931. Divided and this application filed January 7, 1930. Serial No. 419,179.

This application is a division of my prior October 17, 1928, and patented November 24, 1931,

, N 0. 1,833,736, which in turn is a division of my prior application, Serial No. 237,075,

filed December 3, 1927, and patented May The invention relates to circuit controlling devices, particularly multipole switches orcontactors and has for its principal object the provision of an improved form of individual magnetic blow-out for each pole of such devices.

More specific objects of the present invention are to combine, the arc horn,'the arc chute and the magnetic blow-out with the switch contacts so as to increase the arcinterrupting capacities of the switch and at the same time render both manufacture and maintenance of the switch in service relatively simple and inexpensive.

The improvements of the present invention are particularly advantageous when embodied in a multip e pole alternating current contactor such as described and claimed in my above-mentioned copending. applications. In such a device the provision of an arc horn associated with the contacts at each pole of the switch together with an effective individual magnetic blow-out for dissipating the are at each arc horn is of prime importance particularly in motor control service. In order that the are at each arc horn may be efficiently dissipated, it is desirable that, the arc chute should be arranged so as substantially to enclosev the switch contacts and confine the arc arising therefrom to the arc horn and'at the same time be readily removable forinspection and repair of the contacts, as well as facilitate the wiring operations. With a multiple pole switch the desirability of a compact individual arc horn and magnetic blow-out construction for each pole such as will permit the several poles of the switch to be located as closely together as possible in order to conserve space and thereby reduce the size of the enclosing casing required, will be apparent.

The magnetic arc blow-out construction .the pivotal support 12 on the base 13.

of the present invention'provides the several advantageous features noted without appreciably increasing the cost of manufacture.

Briefly, in the preferred form of the invention, this is accomplished by providing each of the stationary contacts of the mul tiple circuit controlling switch with an arc horn curved in the shape substantially of the letter C with one end of the arc horn secured to the usual switch supporting base or panel and the other end free and provided with an upstanding projection. Within the pace encompassed by the curved arc horn t e winding for setting up the magnetic arc blow-out field is located and arranged to be directly supported from the arc horn closely adjacent the concave side thereof; To confine the arc to the arcing horn an arc chute formed of spaced apart walls of suitable arc resisting material has the edges of the walls complementary curved so as to" fit snugly in engagement with the curved surface of the are born. The are chute is provided with a cross-bar extending between its walls forremovably engaging the upturned projection at the end of the archorn so as to hold the arc chute in proper operating position for confining the arc arising. from the contacts while permitting ready removal of the entire arc chute to facilitate wiring or inspection and repairs.

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 is a front view of one pole of a circuit controlling switch provided with the magnetic arc blow-out arrangement of the first inven tion, and Fig. 2 is a side View of the switch with a portion of the arc chute broken away to reveal more clearly the details, of construction.-

The switch shown in Fig. 1 comprises the movable switch contact finger 10 resiliently mounted on the rotatable shaft 11 carried by It will be understood that a suitable operatingelectromagnet such as described and claimed in my above-mentioned application ordinarily is provided for rotating the shaft 11.

As shown more clearly in Fig. 2 the sta tionary contact 14 which cooperates with the l j by the bolt 16. The are horn 15 is electrically and mechanically connected to one end of the blow-out coil 17 to support the-same Within the space encompassed by the curved arc horn 15 and closely adacent thereto. The other end of the blow-out coil 17 is connected to the terminal stud 18 from which the line conductor 19 extends.

Thus the arc horn 15 is substantially of C-shape and is supported at one end with the other end free. The are horn 15 is of suficient width, as shown in Fig. 1, almost completely to surround the blow-out'coil 17 The upper free end of the C-shaped arc horn 15 is provided with "an upturned projection .20. The arc chute 21 is arranged to be removably secured in position to confine the arc arising from the switch contacts by means of the upturned finger 20 and the curved portion of the arc horn. 15. r

As shown in Fig. 1, the arc chute 21 is formed of spaced apart walls of arc resisting material. Suitable spacing lugs 22 and 23 are interposed between the walls forming the arc chutes and the bolts which hold the walls together pass through the lugs. The inner edges 24; of the arc chute walls are curved so that the arc chute fits snugly upon the curved portion of the arc horn 15 with the upturned projection '20 thereof in engagement with the lug 22 and extending between the side walls of the arc chute. Thus the arc chute 21 is firmly maintained in its proper position to receive any are which may occur upon the separation of the contact 10 from the contact 14. Furthermore, the member 15 serves to support both the blow-out coil '17 and theme chute 21, and also as an arc horn extending entirely along the curved edge-of the are chute.

Tlie blow-out flux set up by the coil 17 is conducted into the region of the are by means a of the laminated magnetic pole pieces 24 which extend from the magnetic core 25 passing through the blow-out coil 17. As shown,

tend along the outer sides of the arc chute 21 adjacent to and straddling the point of se a ration of the contacts 10 and 14. In-or erto maintain the pole pieces 24in the proper olperating position, the guide 26 is secured to t e pole pieces and extends into a hole 27 provided in the base 13. The upturned portion 28 of the pole pieces is provided in order to obtain awider distribution of the blow-out flux throughout the arcing region.

With the arc chute constructed as described it will be evident-that the arc chute maybe readily lifted out of engagement with the cuved arc horn 15 as indicated in Fig. 1, thereby exposing the contact finger 10 and the in Fig. 1, the laminated pole pieces 24pm contact 14 for wiring, inspection and any necessary repairs.

The operation of the electromagneticswitch just described will be apparent. Upon rotation of the shaft 11 the switch contacts are either opened or closed depending upon the directionof rotation. The blow-out coils and are chutes associated therewith insure the rapid disruption of any arcs that may occur upon the separationof the contacts.

- What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. An arc blow-out device including a the other end of the arc horn for detachably supporting the complementary curved edges of the arc chute in engagement with the convexhside of the arc horn to restrict the arc pat 2. An arc blow-out device including a substantially C-shaped arc horn having one end fixed and a projection at the other end, a blowout coil having one terminal secured to said are horn to be supported thereby in the space substantially enclosed by said C-shaped arc horn, an arc chute formed of opposing walls of arc-resisting material having curved edges adapted to fit against the C-shaped arc horn adapted to cooperate with said projection for detachably supporting the arc chute in hooked engagement with the arc horn.

3. In combination, a curved arc horn, an arc chute formed of spaced apart walls of arc-resisting material with complementary and provided with a spacer therebetween curved edges, and cooperatinginterlocking members on the. arc horn and are chute for supporting the arc chute in hooked engagement with the arc horn.

5'. An arc blowout device including a curved arc horn, a blowout coil connected with the arc horn to be supported thereby adjacent the concave side'of the arc horn, a magnetic core for said coil having spaced apart 7 lateral rejections straddling the arc horn, an are c ute having walls spaced apart to fit between said projections and provided with curved. edges formed to engage the convex side of the archorn to restrict the arc path thereon, and cooperating interlocking members on the arc horn' and the arc chute for detachably supporting the arc chute in position on the arc horn.

6. In combination, a substantially C- shaped arc horn having one end fixed and a projection at the other end, a switch contact member removably secured to said are horn, a cooperating contact mounted for movement into and out of engagement with said first contact, a blow-out coil connected with said are horn and mounted in the space encompassed by the said are horn and adjacent one side thereof, a magnetic core extending through said blow-out coil, magnetic pole pieces extending from each end of said core in opposing spaced relation adiacent said switch contacts, an arc chute formed of separated walls of are resistant material havin curved edges adapted to fit against the C- shaped arc horn in the space between said pole pieces and said contacts and a spacer extendmg between said walls adapted to cooperate with the said proiection at the end of said are horn for detachably supporting the arc chute in position.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 6th day of January 1930.

, EUGENE R. OARICHOFF. 

